The glue that binds
by Blackness
Summary: Song fic: Borrowed from Kelly Clarkson 'Becasue of you'. After an arguemet the team looks ready to break up, but can Z stop this and keep the family togetrhe she has come to call her own.


The glue that holds the team together.

A mission had failed. Cruger had told them not to worry, it wasn't their fault but then everyone feeling defeat got really snappy at each other. Z unintentionally started the arguemet. She sighed and said

"I wish Jack was here"

Sky faced her

"Are you saying I'm a a bad leader"

Beofre Z could answer, Syd replied,

"If the boot fits, I mean it was a shambles, we were everywere."

Bridge Joined in

"You didn't do much….You were distracted by that guy at the door"

"Like you, the girl you and Sky were checking out, she thought you were just another funny guy, she thought nothing of you, I could see it in her eyes"

"If we had Jack we would have succeeded, face it without him, we're lost, as a tam we don't function, why did he have to leave" Bridge said

"If only I was more like my dad, he could have handled it and known what to do"

"Give it a rest Sky, he may have been amazing, but his not here anymore, you need to lead and in you we need to trust" Z said.

Suddenly sky left the room, followed by Bridge and then Syd

"You're the beak up of the team"

Z sighed. She hated fighting, the arguments, the disputes and confrontation. She remembered her father and mother arguing when she was little, the real reason they lost contact with their friends, the guys parents and the cause of their team termination. She had found some of her mothers logs in the vault, being 21 she could now access. She had read them, she saw the team breaking up due in part to her parents. She had to stop this so history didn't repeat itself.

_**Kelly Clarkson - Because Of You Lyrics**_

_I will not make the same mistakes that you did  
_

_I will not let myself  
_

_Cause my heart so much misery  
_

_I will not break the way you did,  
_

_You fell so hard  
_

_I've learned the hard way  
_

_To never let it get that far_

She found Bridge. He was on his head, with his eyes closed.

"

I know how you feel begin called a freak, having everyone talk about you behind your back and never knowing if you have real friends, but you do in the team, and even more so from me. You do not come up with useless inventions and your alternative approach has helped us. You mean so much to the team, as a joker, as a friend, especially to me, I want you to think about it, think of what you said and be at the lake in an hour….if you want to save the earth and most importantly our team. She walked off.

Bridge had heard all she said, knowing what she said was right; he had fallen for Z, her cheerful spirit and her out look of life. She appeared to have a wall, and be impermeable to insults, but their is only so much you can take before you break. He wanted to keep the team together. He would go.

_Because of you  
_

_I never stray too far from the sidewalk  
_

_Because of you  
_

_I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt  
_

_Because of you  
_

_I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me  
_

_Because of you  
_

_I am afraid_

Z found Syd in the health spa, having a beauty treatment.

"Syd, I know they called you a powder puff princess, but you are so much better than that, it was not your fault you failed the mission. Cruger said, nor was it sky, You are wonderful, talented, sweet and sensitive, the guys just don't always realise how our feelings are hurt. Look I don't want this team to break, It will be a disaster. If you want to help me save this team, come to the pond in a hour"

Z left and Syd's eyes followed her out of the room. She was right, the name-calling was silly, Z tolerated, she could. The team was special to her; it was the first time she was seen as something else than an icon. They had seen she was a combat fighting machine, who could handle herself, but Z was right, she was easily hurt. Even Z was easily hurt. Remembering what she had called Z, she sighed. A low life not worth her time or effort, not a member of the team. She needed to apologise. She would go.

_I lose my way  
_

_And it's not too long before you point it out  
_

_I cannot cry  
_

_Because you know that's weakness in your eyes  
_

_I'm forced to fake  
_

_A smile, a laugh everyday of my life  
_

_My heart can't possibly break  
_

_When it wasn't even whole to start with_

Then Sky, she found him sulking on the roof.

"Sky….I'm sorry"

Sky turned to face her.

"I only mentioned Jack, because he was like a brother, he helped me and would have held me and told me everything was going to be OK. We never should have said those things. You are an amazing leader, smart and brave, the others know, they see but they don't understand your pain. I try, I lost my mum and dad, and don't remember them much. I miss them even more, now. Look I think we were all heated, we failed out first mission. I will not make the same mistakes they did; I will fight to keep this team together. If you want to help, be at the lake in about an hour."

Sky thought after she left. The mission had gone wrong, Z said he was a leader, he also knew her moss of parents, eating away at her. What mistakes people made? He loved his team, his friends and is duty. He couldn't imagine fighting alongside anyone else even Z he had grown to love.

_Because of you  
_

_I never stray too far from the sidewalk  
_

_Because of you  
_

_I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt  
_

_Because of you  
_

_I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me  
_

_Because of you  
_

_I am afraid_

She had watched her parents argue, read about the fights with eh team and how her parents almost destroyed the team, especially her mother. She had watched them fight and their marriage fall. She had to look after herself, cook her own dinner, do her own homework and get on with her life. She knew her dad liked her, but he was always at work. He got home late when she had gone to bed, and left before she saw him in the morning.

_I watched you die  
_

_I heard you cry every night in your sleep  
_

_I was so young  
_

_You should have known better than to lean on me  
_

_You never thought of anyone else  
_

_You just saw your pain  
_

_And now I cry in the middle of the night  
_

_For the same damn thing_

Syd doesn't hear me, I cry every night, asking for my parents to return and for my friends to be my family.

_Because of you  
_

_I never stray too far from the sidewalk  
_

_Because of you  
_

_I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt  
_

_Because of you  
_

_I try my hardest just to forget everything  
_

_Because of you  
_

_I don't know how to let anyone else in_

People try to help. I find it hard letting people into my life, its full of pain and suffering caused by my parent's bad relationship. I let people in, and them people will destroy it, how can I let people into my heart, If I can't even get in.

_Because of you  
_

_I'm was ashamed of my life because it's empty_

At least it will be if the team don't show up. She skipped a stone across the water.

_Because of you  
_

_I am afraid_

Afraid me being different and my team my friends leaving me alone to suffer. They make me strong, I need them. Why are they not here, it's been an hour and 10 minutes. Maybe I have failed, like my parents.

She heard footsteps and felt an embrace from Bridge, as he put his arm around her neck letting his hand gently rest on her chest. Sky smiled with an arm around Syd.

"We're sorry" Sky said

"You are never alone Z, we will always be your family, you are my best friend" Bridge

"You're the glue that keep us together, for that how can we let this team break up, that's exactly what the enemy wants, I'm sorry Z, I was angry."

"Plus your so unique and amazing, no matter what happened in your past, or the damage your parents, we are here to protect you and as a team protect the planet, don't ever leave or change Z, you are perfect as you are"

_Because of you  
_

I am able to save my team. I guess I'm saying thanks in a kinda twisted way mum and dad.

_Because of you_

I found were I belong, with people who love me, hold me and protect me. They find their way into my heart and unlock it, maybe now they have, I will be able to look into my heart and see what is actually happening, all because of you.


End file.
